Western Cuba Discovery Adventure

On this exciting introduction to Cuba, we explore the captivating capital of Havana and wander through the twisting alleyways of colonial Trinidad, where we stay in privately run casas particulares. Along the way, we absorb the country's lively culture by learning salsa and how to make Cuban cocktails. We also discover Cuba's spectacular natural beauty, taking in pristine beaches, unspoilt forests and the dramatic landscape of Vinales. Learning about Cuba's fascinating history, we visit Che Guevara's Mausoleum and the infamous Bay of Pigs.

Itinerary

1

Join tour in Havana

We arrive in Havana and check-in to our hotel. Situated in 'Old Havana', it is well-placed for exploring the historical centre on foot.

Built around a deep natural harbour, the capital of Cuba is one of the most impressive surviving colonial cities in the Americas. Thankfully, wars and revolution have done little to damage 500 years of heritage. Founded during the Spanish Conquest of the 1500s, Havana proved a convenient stopping-off point for the transport of looted treasures from the New World. Future centuries saw its wealth increase further from the trade of sugar, rum, tobacco and coffee.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
None

2

Tour of Havana's highlights, free afternoon

Today, we explore modern-day Havana, with its mixture of restored and crumbling architectural marvels. Walking through the Vieja (old) district, we will discover the baroque cathedral, beautiful neoclassical buildings and the Plaza de Armas (main square). On our travels, we will doubtless see many brightly-painted vintage cars - the result of legislation enforced until 2011 ruling that only cars built before the 1959 revolution could be sold. We may also notice the lack of advertising - nothing but political exhortations are allowed. Passing by the famous Capitolio building, modelled on the White House, we are likely to see kids playing the hugely popular game of baseball in its grounds.

During your free afternoon, you may choose to visit the fascinating Museum of the Revolution, housed in the impressive former Presidential Palace. The City Museum is also worth a visit, exhibiting art and historical artefacts in rooms preserved with their original Colonial decoration. In the late afternoon, once the freshening cool breeze blows in from the Caribbean, you may be tempted to enjoy a lively sunset stroll along the Malecon. Alternatively, you may prefer to visit the famous cigar factory.

Later this afternoon, we will enjoy a cocktail making class where we can learn to make some of Cuba's famous drinks including mojitos and pina coladas.

This evening, we have the option to sample some of the capital's famous nightlife. El Floridita is as celebrated for its daiquiris as it is for having been a favourite hangout for Ernest Hemingway. Likewise, the Hotel Ambos Mundos is another Hemingway landmark where the 1954 Nobel Prize winner and author of 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' lived for several years. Its roof terrace serves up exceptional mojitos - the traditional Cuban cocktail.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

3

Full day trip to the picturesque Vinales countryside

After travelling a couple of hours west, we reach what is arguably the most picturesque part of Cuba - the Vinales region. Here, surreal mountains jut out of the landscape, formed by the erosion of limestone over millions of years. These 'mogotes' translate as 'haystacks' - a good word for them considering their steep sides and rounded, jungly tops. Around them, the iron-rich, red soil creates a patchwork of fields growing some of the best tobacco in the world - the raw material for Cuba's celebrated cigars.

Before our return to Havana for the night, we have the option of a two-hour trek through the valleys of this remarkable landscape to the village of El Palmarito. Mogotes tower above us as we pass through tobacco fields and past drying barns.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

4

Drive to Trinidad via the Bay of Pigs Museum

Today, we head east across Cuba, driving through giant citrus and sugar plantations and out on to the Zapata Peninsula. Our journey is broken up with a wonderful swimming opportunity in a 'cenote' (pool) where the ceiling of an underground river has collapsed. We plan to arrive in Playa Giron by mid-afternoon. Here we will visit the museum dedicated to the infamous 'Bay of Pigs' invasion - a US-supported attack by Cuban exiles which failed to overthrow the Communist regime in 1961.

Our journey continues, past the wooded Escambray Mountains and hugging the coastline, with views over the sparkling turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. By early evening, we will arrive at our hotel just outside the beautiful Spanish colonial town of Trinidad - our base for the next three nights, where we will enjoy local hospitality staying in casas particulares (private houses).

Overnight: Simple HomestaySingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

5

In Trinidad; tour of this pretty colonial town

This morning, we wander through the cobbled streets of the old centre of Trinidad, discovering its fine palaces, churches and cafes. A paradise for photographers, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a perfectly preserved colonial settlement unlike any other. In the early 19th century, French settlers fleeing a slave revolt in Haiti, landed here and started to grow sugar cane in the Valle de Los Ingenios. This crop generated considerable wealth and consequently the town had to be regularly defended from pirates.

Subject to opening hours, we will visit a local museum before some free time where you may wish to wander for longer through Trinidad's streets to soak up more of the unique atmosphere. Mid afternoon we will enjoy a salsa dancing class where you can learn some basic steps to perhaps try out later that evening at the open-air Casa de la Musica, just off the main square.

Overnight: Simple HomestaySingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

6

Free day; optional trek or boat trip to Cayo Las Iguanas

Today is free for you to enjoy more of Cuba's beautiful landscapes and fascinating culture at your own pace. One option is to head into the Escambray Mountains for an eight kilometre trek through the Topes de Collantes Nature Reserve Park. With its unspoilt forests and water-eroded valleys, this area is famous for its many endemic species of flora and fauna. Our hike can vary slightly, depending on the weather and the group, but it is likely to take us into the coffee-growing valley of the Guayanara River. The paths are undulating and can be uneven underfoot, but the views and sense of remoteness are truly rewarding. Along our route, we see Cuba's highest lake, Embalse Hanabanilla, pass rural homes and watch shepherds minding their herds of goats. After about four hours' walking, we enjoy lunch at a small and remote hacienda, before returning to Trinidad.

Alternatively, you may wish to visit the deserted island of Cayo Blanco. Here you can eat fresh paella, relax on the beach and snorkel in the coral wilderness. Snorkelling equipment is not always available, so keen snorkelers might prefer to bring their own.

Overnight: Simple HomestaySingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

7

Return to Havana via Santa Clara

Today we bid farewell to Trinidad and make our way back to Havana, via Santa Clara. This pleasant university town was originally a prosperous agricultural area, well-placed on the island's trading route. Now, it is most famous as the site of the last battle of the Revolution, in which Che Guevara's troops took the city, causing the Cuban dictator, Batista, to flee into exile.

After visiting the Tren Blindado Memorial commemorating this historic event, we move on to Che's Mausoleum. Guevara was buried here with full military honours in 1997 after his exhumed remains were discovered in Bolivia and returned to Cuba. A flame lit by Fidel Castro burns eternally to honour a national hero who played a key role in Cuba's revolution and whose image is routinely displayed throughout the country. We will also visit the museum dedicated to Guevara's life, containing many interesting letters and artefacts.

This evening, we return to Havana to enjoy a final dinner and probably a dance.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

8

Tour ends Havana

Tour notes

Each departure date has it's own dedicated tour note, detailing all you need to know about that tour. Whether you've already booked, or weighing up your options, please choose carefully the relevant itinerary for you.

We have the following different versions of the The Best of Western Cuba tour available at present.

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Why Book this tour

This short tour covers most of Western Cuba's highlights and is designed for those who want to discover one of the most unique countries in the world. You will stay in locally-owned and run private homestays in the heart of colonial Trinidad. Staying with local families and experiencing the Cuban way of life will be a highlight of the tour. This tour also includes a salsa dancing class and a lesson on how to make Cuba's famous cocktails.